http://www.facebook.com/Dominicks?v=wall is showing a completely empty wall with no posts. I guess Dom's has again heard enough and has wiped away any and all comments. I'm sure none of us are surprised at this, but still!

On a separate note, it's awfully hard to just look at a perfectly clean dry erase board when you have a whole bunch of dry erase markers just sitting there. Begging to be used. To write things. (Knowing full well that the board will be wiped clean again shortly.) : )

For all you nosy lurkers (like me!) that want to catch up, the Dom's FB wall is back up. Still no response from Doms, mostly people venting and asking questions.

It's actually fascinating comparing Jewel-Osco's FB page and Dom's. Jewel is much more on top of things, and follows up on people's questions and comments. Even though there are people with a beef, Jewel writes back in a professional AND personal manner. No generic replies at all!

But mostly the ones out of last quarter's booklets and tearpads. I am using them at the crystal lake store with the understanding they can be turned down. Was able to use most of the expired with no problem. Had to use the $2 cottonelle blinkies on the 24 roll packs. Not as good as the 12 pack deal last fall with cat but I've become pretty fond of good T/P. That's what's nice about super coupling...it allows you to splurge on the nicer things in life.

I have always had very nice cashiers at the LITH D's and the manager(said he is relatively new) has been real pleasant when I ask for a raincheck on more than one item. I was also at the Fox River Grove D's today and the hot dog super coupon did not come off. Told them maybe I had the wrong hotdogs but had looked at the signage on the shelf. They gave me the money back no problems. VERY nice. So some stores have gotten the message or always been nice.

I don't understand it... they respond to my facebook post so nice and matter of fact referring to #3 in their coupon policy but then saying that some store will and some wont take expired. How is that helpful? I mean I suppose we should appreciate that some will continue to use expired but how on earth can we plan a shopping trip? So confused. Do they not have control over their stores as a whole as to what is "standard"? I know... that is a silly question, been dealing with inconsistency issues for a long time. All very strange to me. I do like shopping there, but I wish they would man-up and come to a decision and hold it. Then I wonder if I am biting off the hand that feeds me? lol... such drama. Just needed to vent a little :-) thanks.

I wrote a lengthy post for Dominick's Facebook page (several of my readers have taken to rallying over there "When are you going to meet with Jill Cataldo?" (!!!)

I'm reposting here too, because they'll probably delete it.

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Clearly, someone at Dominick's has grossly underestimated the power of social media.

Your customers are providing extremely detailed feedback as to what's wrong in your stores. Locations, employee names, specific problems that can and should be addressed. And guess what? They've been providing it for over one year, and nothing's being done about it. Last year, I wrote an open letter to Safeway's CEOs about the myriad of problems at Dominick's. Three days later, Dominick's Director of Public Relations got in touch and asked me to open a dialog on my blog to ask readers what was wrong in their stores, promising an in-person, face-to-face meeting with me on their behalf to present these issues to corporate. In a week, over four hundred extremely detailed posts were written by your shoppers. This was valuable information, the kind of data that, if Dominick's had to acquire on their own, would likely have involved a team of consultants and focus groups to obtain.

What did Dominick's do with that information that their own shoppers provided? NOTHING. Over a year later, many of these problems have escalated into the range of being alarming, and no one can get an answer as to why. Throughout the year, I have continued to ask when that face-to-face meeting could take place. Why wouldn't you want to meet with someone who genuinely wants to help your store address these issues?

At the risk of sounding inflated (which isn't at all my intention,) perhaps you do not realize how many people I reach through my writing. My blog is read by over thirty thousand unique readers each week, the vast majority of them from Chicagoland. If I recall correctly, there are 83 Dominick's locations in Chicagoland. That means, at any given time, if those thirty thousand people all went to a Dominick's in the same week, you'd potentially have over 361 of "my" readers visiting each one of your stores each week. And I'm by no means alone. I could name at least six other highly-read blogs devoted to grocery savings in Chicagoland.

That's a pretty large group of people who are seeing the conditions inside your store, dealing with your staff, and most importantly... telling other people what they see. And they're talking. Loudly. They're telling each other, they're telling the blogs, and they're telling me. Each week I receive horror stories, some with photographs, detailing things your shoppers are seeing and experiencing. Instead of posting these on my blog, I have diligently forwarded them to PR. For a year. PR has done... nothing.

Do you not understand ther reach of bloggers that write about your store?

Compare a blogger that follows your store, especially a prominent blogger with a large reach, to a newspaper reporter. Imagine that this reporter's job is to write newspaper articles about their store, their sales and their service, every single week. And, this reporter's articles about their store are being read by upwards of thirty thousand people, week after week. And if that reporter gets in touch and says "there's an issue in your store that I'd like to talk to you about..." as a store, do you put that reporter off for over one year, or set up the meeting as soon as it's convenient?

Perhaps you would better understand the reach of a columnist who writes each week about issues related to coupons and grocery shopping to over 20 million readers in newspapers around the country. The nationally-syndicated newspaper column that ABC's Nightline called "Dear Abby, with coupons?" I write that too.

It's remotely possible that Dominick's is not aware of this, but I also work as a corporate consultant for retailers, manufacturers, and coupon distributors, providing a variety of services related to analyzing how shoppers will utilize specific promotions. One of your largest Chicagoland competitors emailed this week after seeing the Dominick's blowup on your Facebook page and on my blog. This supermarket said that ANY time I wanted to have another face-to-face meeting with their corporate staff, about any issue I felt was important, "name the date and the time and we will make it happen."

How is it that your competitors want to be notified -immediately- of any far-reaching issues taking place in their stores, but you don't? Do you honestly feel that your own staff has intimate knowledge of what's going on in your stores better than the people who shop in them each day do?

You are lucky that enough of your shoppers care about fixing the problems in your stores that they're trying to bring them to attention in any way possible. Many others have already stopped shopping at your store. But answers like "We value your business and would be sorry to lose you as a customer [insert name here.] We hope that you will consider shopping with us in the future." are not going to pacify anyone at this point. You are insulting the intelligence of your audience with answers such as these.

Hi Jill-
I'm just wondering what would happen if, just for one week, your Dominick's deals of the week section was blank? You could put in something like, "Waiting for response from Dominick's customer service" and NOTHING else! It would be fun to see how quickly they call you.

Since I started following your site, I have yet to be in a Dominicks that I have not seen several other people who follow you as well. You are modest about the power you carry, and we love that about you, but maybe they need so see you flex this power.

Whoever is monitoring the Dom's Facebook page should take some lessons from Jewel's Facebook page - responding with a human voice, writing with expression and concern, not generic corporate-speak, goes a long way in dealing with the public.

I haven't looked at Jewels yet, but it does make me a little irritated that most people who post complain... and lots of the ones I just read are silly in my opinion, I realize there are legit ones but gosh... If you are going to save a crap load of money it is going to take some time and patience. That is just the way it is. I like shopping at Doms! :-) Thanks for pointing this out... I couldn't seem to find a general Jewel one are they specific to MY location? I am not much for facebooking I use it primarily for... you guessed it! Coupons. lol...

I finally did run into one at Doms in Mundelein that asked me where I got my Free Coke coupons :-) that she had some of the other ones that I printed... she just started... :-) it was awesome... like an old friend :-) I SHOULD BE OUT SHOPPING NOW BUT THIS DARN SNOW!!! :-0

I shop at the Mundelein Doms too. I've always had good experiences there with the service. EVERYTIME I go I'm at the CS desk because of JFU trouble, they're always helful and usually apologetic. Last time I was there I talked to the CS people about posting signs about expired Qs'. They told me they talked to the manager and whole-heartedly agreed that customers should be warned. They still haven't done it - boo. But as long as I continue to have good experiences and they keep having good deals I'll keep going back. Althoug if either of those things change...

and corporate contacted my store and replied back to me that the store manger(and they gave his name) wants to talk to me (store manager is really nice). I will contact him when I get a chance, but dont expect much to come of it. Especially since I complained about 2 different cashiers on 2 different occasions and NOTHING!!!

I have the opposite experience at my Dominicks in Carol Stream. I never saw any coupon books until I asked the manager one day and told him my frustration. He actually gave me the only one he had and said they put a whole bunch out the other day and people take sometimes 3,4,5, so they started keeping them at the service desk. I was there yesterday and I asked at the service desk and the lady gave me on immediatley and was very polite. She also stated that people are taking way more than one. On the other had my Jewel in Glendale Heights very rarely puts out coupon books. I have yet to get one there and alway ask at the desk and they alway tell me they don't have any, never saw any around or that they put them in different places around the store and I should go look here or there. Give me break, like I have time to run all over the store. All the book that should be out at Jewel I have never seen.

It is sad to see so many negative comments on facebook. I guess the people encountered are simply grumpy as well as I have encountered the same from the opposite side and try to help the best I can. I am a Dominicks employee at cs and have been so impressed by the deals that couponers get that I have started following Jill myself. I have even congratulated folks on getting a great deal. I went to your seminar last year and it was great. I think that if the books were not behind the service counter that they would be long gone by now. I have not been told by anyone to withhold books. If anyone asks me for more than one...than sure, you got it.

I will NEVER shop at the Dominick's in Orland Park again because of their attitude with the coupon books. Last week, my husband and I were shopping together. We both went to the service desk and each asked for a coupon book. She said, "ONE PER HOUSEHOLD!" I said, "That's fine, I shop for three households." She was very angry that she "had" to give us two.

Fast forward to check-out. The man at the register spent the entire time complaining about how the whole world is computerized and he doesn't know how to work them! We use two coupons, from two books, on two separate items. He WOULD NOT scan the second coupon! I couldn't believe it. We had to finish and pay (he wouldn't even give us our change!!) then go to Ms. Nasty at the CS desk. She said, "See, I told you it was one per family!" I replied, "What are you talking about?! We bought two products and used one coupon on each. This has nothing to do with one per household."

As she continued to argue, I stopped her and asked her to show me, on the coupon, WHERE it said one per item or even one per transaction. She couldn't, but said, "Well, I'll give it to you this time!" I told her that would be great, because there won't be a next time. What is wrong with people like this? I'm in your store, shopping for THREE households! Do you really want me to go somewhere else? UGGGHHH!! So not worth my time. Jewel has been so much better to deal with overall.

If the coupon doesn't state, "one per household", you should not have to explain that you are shopping for 3 households. What business is it of theirs anyway? I can't believe how rude they were to you. It seems like Dominick's attitudes keep getting worse and worse!!! SHAME ON THEM!!!

I KNOW good Dominick's cashiers are out there. But when the complaints start piling up, the bad stories become overwhelming. I do believe many Dominick's stores could do better in customer service, but it is wonderful to hear from someone, as you said, on the "other side," who is also a cashier and understands that we're not trying to do anything wrong, beat or cheat the system -- just save.

Not all cashiers are bad.So don't discount the whole store because of one bad cashier.I was at the Crystal lake store last week and they could not have been nicer.I was doing the cereal deal.It was very slow I think there was only one regular cashier.I asked if I could go to the self check out.She said sure.I did the self check and cashier was even helping me bag my cereal.I messed up on some of the deal.She was not crabby or rude but very helpful.I had an very pleasant experience.

I have never had a bad experience at the Dom's on Rt.59 in Shorewood. One of the cashiers is often confused, and asks about most coupons, but this cashier very polite and nice. THANK YOU!!! However the Dom's on Essington Rd in Joliet I am often treated like a criminal and talked down to.

Some of the cashiers and managers need to respect couponers a little more these days. I'm getting so sick of the way I am treated every time I walk into Dominicks. You would think I was getting ready to commit a crime!

The other day I asked for a coupon book at the service desk. A cashier gave me an evil look and abruptly said, "I don't see any here!" He wanted me to just walk away, but when he got a glimpse of the manager who was standing nearby, he seemed to conveniently "find" them on the shelf! HELLO!!! I pay YOUR salary!

Maybe Dominicks' headquarters should hear how the many customers REALLY feel about their stores. Honestly, it's gotten to the point where I get an upset stomach every time I leave that store. Shopping should not be an unpleasant experience. But with Dominicks, it ALWAYS is. WAKE UP Dominicks'workers --- There's enough competition that could slowly put you guys out of business if it keeps up. In the end, customer service really DOES count. On a more positive note - Jewel - you guys are fantastic!

That "Manager" picture is outrageous!
The Dominick's in Elmhurst can use some cleaning up and the cashiers durring the weekday culd use, I dunno, SOMETHING. They also seem to be bothered by couponers. I decided to visit the Glen Ellyn store after work..it was SO nice. clean and very friendly staff. I felt like I was in a dream or something.

I am grateful to Dominicks for putting out such wonderful coupon books. Since I have been couponing, I think that they have the best books. I agree that they need to determine a better way to manage giving out the coupons such as having the cashiers giving them out when they exit the store. Obviously, the more you shop, the more books. Just a thought.

The books have been great, if you can get them! At Thanksgiving, the Frankfort Doms kept telling us they didn't have any books. What do you know, I went in LAST WEEK and asked for a book - they gave me the Thanksgiving book!

When doing a self-check last week, three employees kept an eye on us. We didn't clear the shelves, we didn't use a huge amount of coupons. We were trying to be POLITE by not blocking their lines. Two other self-checks were open. I just wanted to be able to ring up my scenerios in peace. I finally asked someone if we were doing something wrong, and she just walked away. Very unwelcoming!

The Crystal Lake store has been very accommodating. I've asked at the service desk and they have been very gracious in giving me one.
Better one then none at all because others are greedy.

But I hear what people are saying and it is very frustrating if your Dominick's has not been very cooperative. I guess it depends on how the employees are treated by their management and how it trickles down. Their managers obviously haven't heard the expression "you can attract more bees with honey"

The Oswego store has awesome cashiers that are very friendly and embrace couponers...if you cant find a coupon book in the store there are always some to be had at customer service..they know some people take many so they always keep some back behind the counter..ever since the expired food on shelves has been brought to their attention this has decreased dramatically...they will accept all of your coupons and there is always plenty of stock on sale items...actually I was told that had they known the juice was on just for u and with an instant savings price they would have ordered pallets and had them waiting for the shoppers..its a shame that the rest of the stores dont follow suit..Larry the manager is extremely nice and says whatever it takes to please the customer...I have been to other doms and have had horrible experiences so whatever Larry and his team at the oswego store are doing the rest of the stores should do the same...

I'll put in a second on Larry's helpfulness! He once saw that I had a cart full of groceries, an infant in one arm and a stack of coupons in the other hand, and then offered to open a lane to let me spread out my transactions and get things going. :) It meant the world to me that night.

The books are at the registers. They will not offer you one, you have to ask. At one register I saw them on the side of the register. At another register they had them at the end by the bagger station. I also saw some on the CS desk, but they were only there one day and it was not many of them. I have seen people ask for them at CS and they have them in the back. It depends on who is there whether you actually get one and/or get the rude face. I did not see that last coupon book there at all - the Thanksgiving book. Luckily someone was able to get me some when at the end of the year they had boxes of them at other stores. The time before that (was that the $60 book?) They were also at the registers. I don't know why Dominicks has such a problem with their coupon books, Jewel doesn't seem the have the same problem, they have bunches most of the time. Maybe if Dominicks started ordering more of the books, they would not be so 'valuable'.
I read on the FB page that the books were being sold on ebay. I also know that the Geneva Doms has had one person come in more than once and take all the books. If everyone was able to get some booklets no one would be able to sell them on Ebay. I really hope no one would buy them there regardless. Personally I think that is despicable - to take all or most of the books, and then try to sell them back to the people who they were intended for in the first place. Perhaps Dominicks could let Ebay know that they should not allow these to be sold.

I think it's fine that they keep the books behind the desk, I just wish I wasn't treated as a criminal when I asked for one!

While I'm moaning and complaining... I also hate the people that tear off the coupons that are on the products (like the Blink eyedrops currently on sale at WAGS), then don't buy the bottles!! What is the point?! You'll make $4.00 each if you just take the bottle! It's frustrating to see where the coupon used to be. Actually makes me wonder if the stores may do this in anticipation of the sale - but it doesn't make sense.

I'm going to keep badgering them and badgering them. Why not - they do me when I go in the store with my coupons, or I dare ask for a book.

I think you should post the managers pic on their page too, although I'm sure they'll delete it. I thought we were both going to be sick that night. I'm certainly glad I didn't pick his check out line, but my cashier with his bad attitued was no better. >:-(

So true! The fact that we went to Schaumburg in hopes of a "better" experience than the C'Ville store resulted in this!

The best part is that this is the "manager" who told me it was "inappropriate" for me to be buying 10 bags of Purina One, for which I had 10 coupons. LOL His judgment about what is and is not "appropriate" seems a little skewed!

You're kidding when you say the manager labeled your actions of buying 10 bags of Purina One "inappropriate" - right? I can't believe anyone would have then nerve to even suggest that. How unprofessional! Unbelievable!

Yes, because a store wouldn't want people buying large quantities of dog food for their pets. Is the message "We think you should buy less" really the message Dominick's wants its managers stating to customers?

After the letter, they asked me to ask my blog readers for suggestions on what could be improved at Dominick's, assuring us that "Dominick's is listening." They promised an in-person, face-to-face meeting for me with the president at corporate to discuss these issues on behalf of all of us coupon shoppers.

I posted on my blog what they told me -- that Dominick's wanted to hear from us, and that they WERE reading and monitoring the thread. My readers let loose - over 486 responses and over 21,000 views. Dominick's responded by saying "We have enough to work with for now. Please thank your audience for us."

Basically, "Call off the dogs." They added "Somehow the topic on your blog expanded to include service issues and I’d really like to focus on coupons only. The best and speediest way to give us feedback on any customer service issues, compliments or suggestions is through our website. We have a very thorough system in place to respond to and track customer comments."

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